Four municipal employees arrested over the alleged abuse of a turtle in Paphos will be charged with public nuisance, after doctors determined the animal had died at least two days before the incident was filmed.
The investigation by the Animal Police and the Department of Fisheries followed the circulation of a “revolting” video on Monday, 12 January 2026, showing the workers repeatedly slamming a turtle carcass against the ground and kicking it on a beach in Chlorakas. While initial reports suggested the animal had been killed by the men, a necropsy has since confirmed that the turtle was already in an advanced state of decomposition when the encounter occurred.
The Chlorakas Community Council confirmed on Tuesday that the individuals involved were its employees, who had been dispatched to the beach to remove the carcass as part of a routine disposal procedure. The council expressed its “deep regret” over the incident, stating that the workers’ behaviour—which they reportedly claimed was an attempt to “clean off sand”—contradicts the local authority’s values. Despite the animal being deceased, police have proceeded with charges of common nuisance, citing the significant distress caused to tourists who witnessed and recorded the spectacle.
“Whether the animal was alive or dead, it is unacceptable for it to be treated in this manner,” a spokesperson for the Animal Action Group of the Movement of Ecologists-Citizens’ Cooperation (Green Party) stated, adding that the incident highlights a severe lack of training within local authorities regarding the handling of protected wildlife.
The four suspects, who were located at their workplace on Monday afternoon, are expected to be formally charged and released pending a court appearance. The Community Council has also initiated disciplinary proceedings, which may lead to the termination of their employment once the police investigation is fully concluded.
The case has sparked widespread condemnation on social media.
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